| 1 | 1 | | 84R5567 AJZ-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gonzales H.B. No. 3690 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the operation of autonomous motor vehicles by the Texas |
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| 8 | 8 | | Department of Transportation. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 472, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subchapter E to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER E. DEPARTMENT SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 472.041. DEPARTMENT USE OF AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLES. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (a) In this section: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) "Autonomous motor vehicle" means a self-propelled |
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| 16 | 16 | | vehicle or piece of equipment that uses autonomous technology to |
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| 17 | 17 | | operate itself without the active control or continuous monitoring |
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| 18 | 18 | | of a person. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) "Autonomous technology" means technology that |
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| 20 | 20 | | enables a vehicle or piece of equipment to operate without the |
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| 21 | 21 | | active control or continuous monitoring of a person. The term does |
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| 22 | 22 | | not include, except to the extent that such a system may be a |
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| 23 | 23 | | component of autonomous technology, an individual safety system or |
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| 24 | 24 | | a driver assistance system that enhances safety or provides driver |
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| 25 | 25 | | assistance but is not individually capable of operating a motor |
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| 26 | 26 | | vehicle or piece of equipment without the active control or |
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| 27 | 27 | | continuous monitoring of a person. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (3) "Passenger vehicle" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 29 | 29 | | Section 545.412. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) An operator of an autonomous motor vehicle operating |
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| 31 | 31 | | with autonomous technology is: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) a person who causes the vehicle's autonomous |
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| 33 | 33 | | technology to engage, regardless of whether the person is in the |
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| 34 | 34 | | autonomous motor vehicle while the vehicle is operating; or |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) a person who is seated in the driver's seat of the |
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| 36 | 36 | | autonomous motor vehicle and continuously monitors the operation of |
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| 37 | 37 | | the autonomous motor vehicle. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (c) The commission by order may authorize the department to |
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| 39 | 39 | | operate an autonomous motor vehicle on the state highway system to |
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| 40 | 40 | | perform construction and maintenance work for the department if: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) the commission determines that the use of the |
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| 42 | 42 | | autonomous motor vehicle will increase the efficiency of |
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| 43 | 43 | | construction and maintenance projects and improve the safety of |
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| 44 | 44 | | department employees and the public; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (2) the manufacturer of that type of autonomous motor |
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| 46 | 46 | | vehicle has certified that: |
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| 47 | 47 | | (A) the autonomous technology of the autonomous |
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| 48 | 48 | | motor vehicle: |
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| 49 | 49 | | (i) complies with state and federal |
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| 50 | 50 | | standards and regulations for motor vehicles; and |
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| 51 | 51 | | (ii) does not impede the operation of a |
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| 52 | 52 | | feature of a motor vehicle that is required for the motor vehicle to |
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| 53 | 53 | | comply with: |
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| 54 | 54 | | (a) state and federal standards and |
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| 55 | 55 | | regulations for motor vehicles; or |
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| 56 | 56 | | (b) federal motor vehicle safety |
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| 57 | 57 | | standards for the model year of the motor vehicle, if the motor |
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| 58 | 58 | | vehicle is a passenger vehicle; |
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| 59 | 59 | | (B) the manufacturer has tested the autonomous |
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| 60 | 60 | | motor vehicle on public roadways; and |
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| 61 | 61 | | (C) the manufacturer has established financial |
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| 62 | 62 | | responsibility in a manner accepted under Section 601.051 in an |
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| 63 | 63 | | amount of at least $5 million; |
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| 64 | 64 | | (3) the autonomous motor vehicle includes a fail-safe |
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| 65 | 65 | | system where: |
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| 66 | 66 | | (A) an indicator alerts the operator to a failure |
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| 67 | 67 | | of the autonomous technology that may affect the motor vehicle's |
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| 68 | 68 | | ability to operate autonomously; and |
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| 69 | 69 | | (B) when the indicator is activated: |
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| 70 | 70 | | (i) the motor vehicle may be manually |
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| 71 | 71 | | controlled by the operator; or |
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| 72 | 72 | | (ii) the motor vehicle stops; |
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| 73 | 73 | | (4) the autonomous motor vehicle includes an indicator |
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| 74 | 74 | | that indicates whether the vehicle's autonomous technology is |
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| 75 | 75 | | turned on or off; and |
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| 76 | 76 | | (5) the autonomous motor vehicle allows the operator |
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| 77 | 77 | | to assume active control over the motor vehicle, including by using |
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| 78 | 78 | | the brakes, accelerator pedal, and steering wheel. |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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